Jazz opinions

Funnily enough I like Fun It and More Of That Jazz. In the latter case especially because of the snippets of the other songs.

I was disappointed in this album when it came out. I think in retrospect it was because of the Production. It sounds muddy and there were few of the "and the kitchen sink" touches I wanted from Queen.

The self-reference of "More Of That Jazz", with the snippets of other songs and the line "No More Of That Jazz" at the end of the album is particularly nice.

Must admit, it's probably 30 years since I've played the album in full. I do remember getting it and being blown away by the power of Mustapha, and, production wise, it didn't seem bad at the time, but it has certainly not aged well. I think my main disappointment at the time was that it had no long songs on it. Fun It was definitely my least favourite song, but the rest of the album was actually quite strong. I was 14 when it came out, and I remember spending quite a bit of time studying the fold out poster. ☺

I think Mustapha should’ve been the third (fourth?) single, but I guess after the tepid reaction to Don’t Stop Now they just wanted to move on from the album. I think Don’t Stop Me Now’s rise to uber classic super famousness just goes to show Freddie was right in 1978 and everyone else was wrong. Even Brian has given up not playing it!

Τhe bad production due to engineering problems make the album loose much of its magic.

In only seven days is the worst song while it has very good vocals.

For me it is their white album, Mustapha probably is the first middle east rock song, Bicycle Race has new and old elements like TFFMS same chords.
Dead on time is similar with Keep yourself alive, Let me entertain you has beautiful construction and power. If you can't beat them great guitar, if the proction was better it, would sound like a new wave influenced song.
Dreamers balls classic Brian May orchestration like Good Company.
Jealousy same acoustic guitar sound like White Queen and very beautiful ballad.
Fun is a good song, it needed a guitar intro like they did during in 1979 during Fun it snippet before Keep yourself alive.
Leaving home is very Beatles influenced, but the bad production makes it average.

I think their choice to use RTB was good for commercial reasons, Queen after NOTW success collaborated with their producer of ANATO ect.

But they didn't have Mike Stone and Roy's team wasn't good enough.

A very good album as I said for me is their White Album.

P.S. Jazz refers to wierd craziness thus the defferent songs and song list.

Could it be - with two new-to-them studios - they were feeling their way, productionwise?

I like Jazz.

Although the sound feels hollow on the album, it still has some great tunes and a bit of the Queen experimentation on it that I like. There's a couple of weaker tracks on there, maybe a bit more than some of the others, but overall not their worst effort. It's one of their albums I put on when I want something 'different' and can still enjoy the overall experience of the album. I really wish 'Don't Stop Me Now' was a bigger smash at the time, but it's going to be known as one of those tracks that has just grown and grown over time.

On a side note, I once read a thread over on Steve Hoffman Forums that the word "Jazz" was really a UK slang term indicating "sex" references (ie, adult magazines, etc). Thinking that through, many of the songs and lyrics suddenly take on a change to me, haha. Although, I grew up in Scotland, I don't ever recall hearing or using that word in that context.

I think it's well-written, well-sung and well-played, but not too well-produced and that hurts it a lot, especially compared to other albums.

This is probably my least favourite Queen album from the 70s. Even the band hated it (well three of them did). I don't detest Fun It as a lot of people do but More Of That Jazz I hate. I don't seem to be too fond of Let Me Entertain You neither album or live versions. A song I never used to like but can tolerate now is Dead On Time. I love If You Can't Beat Them even though it's badly produced, live is even better. Fat Bottomed Girls is my other top favourite and there are a couple of things I'd have done differently if I was producing the song (including extending the jam at the end but shortening the guitar intro after the vocal only start like the single version).

Compared to A Day At The Races' production, Jazz sounds crap. I think the only song that doesn't is Don't Stop Me Now.

Jazz has a lot of energy particularly Roger's playing, but the production is at best strange. It certainly lacks the depth and warmth of ADATR and the earthiness and presence of NOTW.

I‘m not very fond of Roger‘s songs, but Fun It is a really good one. It has a certain groove and energy that is perfectly described by the lyrics. Apart from DSMN my favorite song on the album.

Another gem in my opinion is Dreamer‘s Ball. At first I was sure that it’s one of Freddie’s songs, but was surprised when I found out it was written by Brian. It‘s actually a sad song but Freddie was still able to put joy and positivity in it. It‘s another great example of his singing abilities.

Apart from those and Fat Bottomed Girls, I very rarely listen to the other songs.

Regarding the title, yes it’s sex, and definitely of the vacuous, masturbatory type, such as calling porno mags “Jazz mags”. It’s sex (music) that conceives nothing. This kind of double entendre and humorous multilayered meanings is so brilliantly done in Queen, especially Freddie, but not just Freddie. For those of you who don’t know, “The Game” is slang for prostitution in Britain.

The obvious, best example of multiple meanings is Killer Queen, which is simultaneously a heterosexual song about about a sexy call girl, a gay song about Freddie being a sexy boy, and a song about Queen, the band, being kick ass killer.

I love the decadent tone of Jazz, (the album), and it is decadent, in the sense of some kind of noted jaded decline in the band. It’s a very clever album, conceptually, but as I said above, I get why many fans don’t “get it” and I respect that. But I’d defend it. The key themes, of sex, drugs and rock n roll being transactional, about the $$$, is always there in Queen, especially Freddie, this extraordinary confluence of selling out to make money, being “a musical prostitute”, making disposable records, but ending up making great art and great songs. This theme, you can see it across key thematic songs on the album: Fat Bottomed Girls, Bicycle Race, Don’t stop me now, Let me entertain you and More of that Jazz. They’re songs about “pedalling” ($$$) or songs about “riding” (f***king). Look at the line “I can show you some good merchandise”, simultaneously about “selling” drugs, sex, music and literally band merch. The album is very cynical, and conceptually repetitious, things going round and round and round, stuck in repetitive, infinite loops of music (product), trapped in concentric circles etc. Look at the lyrics to No More of that Jazz, they’re biting. Is it about the band or the fans or both? Does it sound vaguely fascist, being commanded to do something, paid to do something? To listen or create or paid to f***?

I never knew that slang term (I'm from America). Thanks for enlightening me. 

It's interesting that you suggest the title of the album has double meaning.

Because does that mean Play The Game isn't about love? If memory serves, the album was going to be called 'Play The Game', but the band decided to shorten it for simplicity. Nothing about prostitution, as far as I'm aware. I guess my point is, I hear nothing that alludes to prostitution in the song or elsewhere on the album. Do you have any quotes from Freddie or anyone else? Just curious.

I didn’t know that slang term either (I’m also American). I recall a radio interview with Roger where it was suggested the album was going to be called “Play the Game” but he said something to the effect that he vetoed it because there was no way that he wanted the suggestion to “play the game and go along with the system” to be inferred from the title. It was probably on Rockline (or an episode of Innerview or Off the Record).